Miradouro da Vista do Rei

Yes, this place is one of the most popular one.
Yes, this place is a must visit if you are here.
Yes, its often foggy and raining (200+ days per year), so I recommend looking at the online webcams of this place before going there.

If you're lucky, its sunny, only cloudy or raining without fog then you will see a breathtaking and stunning lost place with an unforgettable view to the ocean, the crater and lakes.
This place is big and with the overgrown environment stunning.
The viewpoints are amazing.
You need to experience it in your own.
I did some photos of some views and from the place itself, just take a quick look and you know why I'm talking like that about this place.
Btw this area is perfect for some amazing hikes.

A phenomenal view in a sunny day (or any day by that matter) - check if there is no fog in that area before you start your trip there to avoid wasted time on your time in São Miguel - you can find camera feeds online!

Also including a picture from a balcony and from the roof of the abandoned hotel in this sightseeing spot - it is also a great part of the experience - you can access it by a door on the backside of hotel (after the car park) while there's people who don't know it and climb through the walls (myself included).

One of the most popular place to visit in the island and it's totally worth it. Mesemerizing scenic view to the mountain and volcanic lake makes an unforgettable experience. I would recommend to drive through the scenic spot to the lake. The drive way is very beautiful especially with the Hydrangea flower in both the sides of the road. Choose a bright sunny day to visit this place because when it's cloudy then the lakes won't be clearly visible from the view point.

Make sure to get the trail to the near Sete Cidades town, a 2-hour walk pretty easy. Plan to get a taxi to return or take the 2-hour hike back.
No Uber at this town, call a cab from a restaurant or bar.
We went when it was cloudy, but tge weather turned several times during the hike and we experienced amazing views.
Highly recommended.

Great miradouro, but very crowded. The best views are from the hotel roof top! It is also a starting point for a trail, that we found a bit boring.

very interesting place to visit. is an abandoned hotel from the 80's that closed after 16 months of opening and just after receiving the award for the best hotel in Portugal. after its closure, it was looted (marble bathtubs and elevators were stolen, among other things), but some signs of its former splendor have survived to this day. the hotel is officially closed and is forbidden to enter it, but you can easily get to it through the main entrance a little bit from the car park. you should definitely not go there in flip-flops or sandals due to the possibility of injury. inside the hotel there are stairs to go up to the roof which is a great view in good weather

Breathtaking view ( like EVERY Miradouro on São Miguel)
We also did an excursion to the ruins of Monte Palace Hotel, really a weird "lost place"!

If you're lucky enough and the day is clear, this is the best vista point of Sete Cidades. This place enables you to absorb the beauty of this area and the excellent nature wonders of this place.

Start with this miradouro and then do Grota do Inferno coz the second one is better. Definitely go at the top of the abandoned hotel Monte Palace because the view from here is amazing. Dress well as it is very windy at the top. Going inside the hotel is a little creepy but it worths. There is a lot of water inside on the floor but you can step on wooden parts. You can enter the hotel via its parking. Once you enter, the stairs are to the right. We parked the car at the 20 minutes limited parking but in October there was no guard so we had enough time.

Finally saw the absolutely breathtaking view that is sete sidaded, (I'm sorry I most likely spelled it wrong!) The blue green lake is so beautiful, and the spot to grab the best pictures couldn't be better!

Absolutely beautiful, especially if you manage to get a sunny day like we did. The caldera walk around the top, down through the village and back up is long (12.8 miles) and difficult in places, but if you're fit you'll really enjoy it!

One of the main viewpoints on the island. We went when it was a bit misty which added to the magic but also prevented us from having fully clear views. There's a bit of uphill/downhill in the end in case you're going with elderly. Otherwise super easy to get to.

The viewpoint is located in a unique place, from which there is a panoramic view of the Sete Cidades lakes and the village inside the volcanic crater. Extremely green and fragrant. Being here, you should also take a look at the abandoned Monte Palace hotel, which is located directly across the street.
Built on a hillside to enjoy the view of the Atlantic Ocean or colorful lakes, the hotel had a great chance to attract many guests and be successful. Its heyday was in the 90s. I encourage you to familiarize yourself with the history of this building. A very interesting and intriguing read.
You enter the hotel premises at your own risk and remember that Travel insurance does not work in such places.

Beautiful view! Drive 30 seconds past the downhill crazy parking to get to a nice, level roomy parking with someone selling souvenirs. Also don't forget to check out the abandoned Monte Palace while you're here! You can get even better photos of the view from the higher stories of the hotel. And wear closed toe shoes (especially if you plan to explore the Monte Palace ruins)!

Beautiful look out you can park right next to it and just walk over. If it’s rainy or foggy, the roads can be a little dangerous and you won’t be able to see anything from the top. There are some hikes around here too.

Lucky to have good weather to explore the island and check different viewpoints. This one is simply breathtaking.

Do not miss this Miradouro. It's spectacular. It is often completely cloudy so change your plans to drive there when it's clear

You can park along the road just past the abandoned hotel up to 30 minutes or if you drive a bit further there is long term parking a short walk away.

A wonderful view on both lakes and a great area for hiking. We did a circle hike down the hills and across the valley back to the car on the top. Half of the route leads through a path directly on the mountain ridge - a superb experience with great views. I can strongly recommend a stop by and little hiking adventure (roughly 12km).

The drive up and down was exciting and the view over the lakes breathtaking. The abandoned hotel was equally interesting- check out the story on youtube.

One of the most beautiful trails I've ever done in my life! It takes around 2 hours from start to finish and I even enjoyed the way back😀
I recommend to start the trail before 8am as most of the trail is exposed to the sun and you may run into trouble finding a parking spot. You can either park near the abandoned hotel or drive a little bit further and park right at the beginning of the trail (aka vista do rei).